May
22
Edumucation and Other Things
May 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Perspective While driving through the downtown of our small but not insignificant Midwestern city (there are corn fields five miles from the city center but we do have the state capital and a handful of miniature skyscrapers) I noticed a fat brown squirrel scampering down a tree and bounding across the street in the halting but graceful [...]
Mar
28
Old School and Other Things
March 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Old School I admire the physicians of yesterday who practiced at a time before medicine became so technical but I don’t necessarily accept the premise that they were better doctors. Certainly their physical exam skills were better honed than ours are today as this was often all they had to establish a diagnosis. They also [...]
Mar
3
Some Simple Math and other Random Thoughts from a Harmless Asian Bear-Mammal
March 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I’m Better, Thanks Like I said, it’s only in residency training where one could be happy to be sick while on vacation. I am just getting over a bout of what was probably the flu and as there is no practical way to take any time off as a resident, about the only time we [...]
Feb
1
A Real Question From A Real Reader: Panda, Can I Hack It?
February 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
(Another real question from a real reader, really sent to my real email address. -PB) Ian writes: “You’ve described what Emergency Medicine is like but what would you say are the ideal qualities of Emergency Medicine doctors? (I seem to handle stress and emotions very well and can easily remain calm in pressing moments)” Let [...]
Jan
24
What I Do, Part Two
January 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
(This is an another article directed more to people who are interested in a medical career than to those already involved. Feel free to read along but I again offer my usual warning that there is nothing profound or exciting to follow and I cannot be held responsible for your boredom. I’m going to try [...]
Jan
11
What I Do
January 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment
(With a hat-tip to the Happy Hospitalist.Nothing new or profound here so my regular readers may, if they desire, ignores this article completely or read on and forgive the basic level of information presented. -PB) A young reader writes, “Dear Dr. Bear, I am a senior in high school and am thinking about being a [...]
Nov
23
Poodle Circus and Other Things (Real Questions From Real Readers)
November 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
You seem a little less bitter about residency. How are things going? Fine, thanks for asking. I haven’t had call in about five months and I am gradually starting to forget all about it. Sleep deprivation has always been my biggest complaint about residency and now that I am getting regular sleep I am pleased to report [...]
Nov
18
Stealth Medicine and Other Topics
November 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
An Apology I want to apologize to the distinguished elderly gentleman sitting on the hall bed. It was a little insensitive of me to stand at the coffee machine taking my time making a cup of coffee not five feet away from you and your wife while you waited to be seen by a doctor. [...]
Sep
28
Emergency Medicine Residency (Part 2: Event Horizon)
September 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
(Once again, a caveat: I am a resident in a medium-sized Emergency Medicine program in an academic setting. Not as academic as Duke or USC but we have most of the players. I have never worked in private practice in Emergency Medicine so while I welcome the comments of those who have, I am describing [...]
Sep
22
Emergency Medicine Residency (Part 1.75 A Parable About Trauma and Perception)
September 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Perspective Consider two separate rooms in the same Emergency Department. In one lies a young man who has been shot in the chest and arrived in full cardiac arrest with the paramedics frantically giving CPR. Red frothy bubbles come out of the gaping hole over his heart whenever the bag attached to his endotracheal tube [...]